Beer and wine have been around for centuries as an important part of many different cultures. In fact, before the 20th century, water supply was not safe to drink, so instead, people drank alcoholic beverages, such as beer, cider and wine, because of the fermentation process.
Of course, the culture back then was nothing compared to the kind of cocktail culture we live in now. A big part of the current alcohol culture is choosing healthier options when selecting your drink of choice. So, what do you think? Is beer or Prosecco the healthier choice? Let’s discuss and compare these two beverages.
How is Wine Different From Beer?
There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to making beer and sparkling wine. Both of these processes include a fermentation step, but the main ingredients used to make each of these beverages sets them apart. Beer is made using a combination of grains, hops, yeast and water. Each of these components plays a different role in the production process, and there are many varieties of the types of grains and hops used to create different styles of beer.
Wine, as it should be, is simply made from grapes — but there are thousands upon thousands of varieties of grapes in the world. So, just like with beer, there are many different styles. Many wine brands also add sugar and sulfites to enhance the flavors, aromas and colors of the wine, and increase its shelf life, but as you know, SYLTBAR does not add anything to its wines. Our producers leave the natural sulfites and residual sugars as they are, never adding or removing anything from the wine.
Is Sparkling Wine Healthier than Beer?
When drunk in moderation, there are health claims made for both beer and sparkling wines like Prosecco and Champagne.
Beer can have a variety of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, silicon, selenium, fluoride, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc, as well as vitamins A, E, D, K and various B vitamins, folate, choline, and even some amino acids too. There is research that suggests light to moderate consumption of beer can provide additional health benefits like controlling blood sugar, and reducing the risk of certain conditions such as heart disease, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s.
Prosecco and Champagne also have their own health benefits due to the nutrients found within the grapes used in production. Prosecco, and wine in general, have polyphenols that have antioxidant properties that can help lower blood pressure and improve circulation. Antioxidants found in wine and Prosecco can also improve skin texture and heart health. Studies also show wine and Prosecco to have certain compounds that help improve memory.
There are healthy highlights for both beer and Prosecco when we look at it from this angle. But when it comes to calories, carbohydrates and sugars, things become a little more clear, especially if we’re talking about SYLTBAR Prosecco.
Does Beer or Prosecco Have More Sugar?
Beer is made from grains, so it naturally contains a lot of carbohydrates. Sugars are a carbohydrate, but because of the way the sugars are fermented during the production process, the sugar content in beer is typically pretty low, even though the carbs are high. Just like with wine, some brewers will add sweeteners to enhance the flavor of the beer.
Prosecco is also known to be relatively low in sugar if produced in a natural way without any added sweeteners, but the difference is that it is also very low in carbohydrates. So, the real question is not necessarily about sugar, but about carbohydrates. A typical beer could have as much as around 10 to 20 grams of carbohydrates, while the average Prosecco is much less, at about 1-2 grams in a 5 ounce serving. Mr SYLTBAR Premium Prosecco has 1.5 grams of carbs in a 6 ounce serving, and only 0.3 grams of sugar.
Does Prosecco Have More Alcohol Than Beer?
The amount of alcohol by volume (ABV) in a standard 12-ounce serving of beer varies from product to product. Typically, it’s about 5%, but some stronger brews get up to 10%. A typical Prosecco is around 11% ABV, although SYLTBAR is at 11.5%, despite the fact that it has a significantly lower amount of calories than other sparkling wines.
Prosecco may have a higher ABV than beer, but because of that, it’s likely that you may only drink one or two glasses. On the contrary, if you are drinking a lower-alcohol beer, you could end up drinking more, and without even realizing it, you’ve not only increased the amount of alcohol you’re consuming, but also the amount of calories and carbs — which is already much higher than Prosecco.
Shop for Low Sugar and Low Calorie Prosecco
You already know our drink of choice is going to always be Mr if we have to decide between Prosecco and beer!
Here’s a story from SYLTBAR founder, Regina Blohm. Regina was born in the northern part of Germany, in a city called Hamburg. When she was 10-years-old, she and her parents moved to Munich, which is in the southern part of the country. Munich is known for its Octoberfest, and another thing that the southern part of Germany, especially Munich, is known for is its production of beer. Even as a child, Regina recognized something about the people in Munich. She asked her mother, “Why do the men here have bigger bellies than they do in Hamburg?” The answer is simple: they drink much more beer. And there you have it — a clear picture about what is the lower calorie option.
When in doubt, reach for SYLTBAR. After all, it’s called your Happy Healthy Daily Juice for a reason. Visit our online store to shop for the healthier choice when it comes to Prosecco, or use our store locator to look for a restaurant or retailer that sells Mr near you.
